Activities

Holly Tree Cottage 18 Main Street Straiton Ayrshire

Activities

Straiton has several walks starting from the village, quiet roads for cycling and fishing on the river Girvan, no need to use the car. However, a short drive away are some great golf courses, sea fishing, horse riding centres and beautiful long beaches.

There are beautiful walks at all times of the year

Click here to go Ayrshire Paths website

Walking and rambling.

A leaflet with map detailing several walks is available. There are numerous trails starting from the village ranging from 30 minutes to two and a half hours offering stunning views and good opportunities to spot wildlife. Lady Hunter Blair's walk is particularly interesting at any time of year; the path leads into an attractive wooded glen, passes by two waterfalls, and crosses the burn to make a circular tour. One of the waterfalls is known as Rossetti Linn and it is here that the pre-Raphaelite artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti contemplated suicide by throwing himself over the 30ft fall. Long distance walks to Patna, Loch Doon and Barr can also be undertaken. Many nearby villages also have signposted walks.

Permits are available offering the chance to catch trout, sea trout or salmon

Fishing

From mid March to the end of August permits can be bought to fish a good section the river Girvan which runs alongside the village. For visitors (over 16) staying in the village daily or weekly permits are available; from March to June these are £10 per day and £30 per week. From July to August permits cost £15 per day and £50 per week. There are brown trout, sea trout and salmon. The Forestry Commission also have permits for several lochs nearby. Sea fishing is avaiable from Girvan and Ayr and there are fisheries in Dalrymple (approx 7 miles), Annbank and Mauchline.

Horse riding is available nearby

Horse Riding

A great way to spend an hour or two is to go on a beach ride. Shanter Riding Centre in Maidens take all ages and abilites.

Tel. 01655 331636

Click here to go to the Shanter Riding Centre website

Click here to go to Craigengillan website

Craigengillen Stables offer horse riding through beautiful countryside by Loch Doon and alongside the river Doon.
Tel. 01292 550594

There are many forest tracks nearby

Cycling

The relatively quiet roads in South Ayrshire make cycling a pleasure. There are also miles of traffic-free routes along forestry tracks in the nearby Galloway Forest. There is a small shed suitable for cycle storage available for guests to use.

Golf

World famous courses Turnberry, Prestwick and Royal Troon are a short drive away. Closer by is Brunston Castle and Maybole which has a nine hole course. Six of Ayrshire's courses can be played over 7 days with a Golf South Ayrshire Pass. This gives a significant reduction in price and includes Belleisle, Seafield, Maybole, Darley, Dalmilling, Fullerton and Lochgreen.

Enjoy a round or two of golf

Click here to visit the Galloway Dark Park website

Stargazing

The dark skies around the village mean, on a clear night, thousands of stars are visible. If you're lucky you might see shooting stars or the northern lights. Close by is Galloway Forest Park which became the first Dark Sky Park in the UK in 2009. There are several carparks within the park open all year round suitable for stargazing and the Raiders Road (open April - October) from Loch Doon to Stinchar Falls, near Straiton, has plenty of opportunities to stop and view.

Birdwatching
There are good opportunities for seeing a wide variety of birds in Straiton and surrounding area. On the various walks starting from the village there is the chance to see Kestrel, Siskin, Redpoll, Jay, Buzzard, Tree pipit, Dipper, Redstart, Garden Warbler, Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and Blackcap. Further information is available in the cottage.